First, I wish to convey my apologies to you, a Cheann Comhairle, the staff of the House and the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach Deputy Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, for the inconvenience caused by me last night in relation to the Adjournment debate. May I ask again for permission to raise on the Adjournment this evening the attacks on the railway line between Belfast and Dublin?
Order of Business (Resumed).
The Deputy missed his chance.
We can always try again.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
Last week I asked the Taoiseach if, in order to expedite consideration of the Child Care Bill, he would consider allowing it to be referred to a select committee of the House and he promised to consider that matter. I should like to ask the Taoiseach if he completed that consideration.
Not yet, but I will let the Deputy know.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the inadequate funding for the health services in the Southern Health Board area.
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning that matter.
May I ask the Taoiseach when it is proposed to make the Attorney General's annual report on the operation of the Extradition (Amendment) Act, 1987, available to the Dáil, in accordance with the Act itself?
It is very nearly ready.
May I ask the Taoiseach why he and the Minister for Defence are running away from debating the defence matter in the Dáil?
Please, Deputy Connaughton ——
Why are they running away?
The Deputy has ample ways and means of raising that matter. I call Deputy Jimmy Deenihan.
Why are they running away?
(Interruptions.)
I have called Deputy Deenihan.
For the seventh time I should like to attempt to raise on the Adjournment the chaos caused in Tralee General Hospital by the recent health cuts, as is substantiated today in The Cork Examiner.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
May I ask the Taoiseach or the Minister for the Environment when it is proposed to circulate the amendments in relation to the Local Government (Planning and Development) (No. 2) Bill, 1988?
I hope to circulate them within a few days, and certainly before the end of next week.
May I further ask on the Order of Business when it is proposed to take the Committee Stage of the Building Societies Bill?
Very soon.
During this session?
Yes.
I seek your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Question No. 74 on yesterday's Order Paper and the inordinate delays in processing the appeals against non-payment of disability benefit.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
May I ask the Taoiseach when it is proposed to resume discussion of Item No. 16 on the Order Paper, the Companies (No. 2) Bill which is in Committee?
Again, the reply is very soon.
May I ask the Taoiseach if he will indicate when he expects to be able to circulate a Bill to amend the patent legislation in view of the ongoing and publicly expressed concern of a number of important companies?
The Deputy should have been here yesterday?
Very soon.
During the past three months UNICEF have published two major reports, one on the state of the world's children and more recently a report on the children of the frontline states. These are two major reports which outline the plight of children worldwide and they call for an international summit on the issue. I wonder if the Government would consider giving time in the House to debate these two reports.
That is a matter which should be raised and decided in another way.
I would like to know if it will be considered. If not, I will raise it some other way, perhaps on the Adjournment. Will the Government even consider it or is that something we will hear tomorrow through the Whips?
May I ask the Taoiseach or the Minister for Health to make a statement on the present intolerable situation which exists in the Southern Health Board where management of the board are unable to release cheques?
Sorry, Deputy Wyse, this is clearly not a matter for the Order of Business. I am sure the Deputy will find another way of adverting to it in the House.
On a point of order, there are 300 jobs being lost in the health board this week.
I want to be helpful to the Deputy but that clearly is not a point of order. He may not proceed to debate the matter now. It is not in order.
I seek permission to raise on the Adjournment the continuing hardship being suffered by the people of the Aran Islands because of the failure to replace a permanent and accountable transport service between the mainland and the islands.
I will be in touch with the Deputy in respect of that matter. Deputy G. Mitchell has been offering for some time.
I would like to raise on the Adjournment the case of a 19 year old girl from Crumlin who, having having been left lying on a trolley in the Meath Hospital overnight, was sent home with two friends and died later that day in another hospital. I hope the House will give time to debate the matter. It is very tragic and it is very important.
The Deputy is seeking to raise the matter on the Adjournment and I will be in touch with him concerning it.
(Limerick East): May I ask the Taoiseach or the Minister for Finance if it is still the Minister's intention to go ahead with the promised legislation on the Trustee Savings Banks?
It is being drafted at the moment.
I want to proceed to the Order of Business proper.
May I borrow your patience by asking to raise on the Adjournment the problems caused in Dublin Corporation by those people who have applied to purchase their flats because of the failure of the Minister for the Environment to provide adequate funds to enable Dublin Corporation to have the staff to process the applications?
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning that matter.